


For Life

by YallHearSumn



Category: Iron Man (Comics), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: ADDITIONAL WARNING, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Awesome James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, First Love, Friends to Lovers, Happy, Happy Tony Stark, Howard Stark Mentioned - Freeform, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kid Fic, Like, Love, M/M, Major Tony/Rhodey, Maria Stark Mentioned, Married Characters, Married Couple, Married Life, Minor Character Death, One Big Happy Family, PLEASE READ NOTES AT BEGINNING FOR ADDITIONAL TAGS, POV James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Parent James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Parent Tony, Parent Tony Stark, Parents Tony Stark & James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Past Character Death, RhFe, Rhodey's dad, Strong Female Characters, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Dinner, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark is Good With Kids, Trans Male Character, Trans Tony Stark, True Love, Ugh, and then THEY FELL IN LOVE, as in christopher columbus, columbus critical, he kicks tony out, it started with getting married to finesse FAFSA, my apologies, one punny joke, pilgrim critical, rhodeytony - Freeform, rhodeytony month, tony cooked thansgiving dinner and yall will eat it, ultimate friends to lovers bro, well mentioned, which is a little dirty ;)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-28 22:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16732119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YallHearSumn/pseuds/YallHearSumn
Summary: Rhodey and Tony celebrate Thanksgiving with their kids and mama Rhodes - all the fluffiness you can imagine.





	For Life

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Hope you will love yourself some RhodeyTony as I often do, additional WARNINGS (since I don't know how to tag it): there is a mention, where Rhodey is having a monologue, of the treatment of native americans and black boys, and black people in general, in America - now and in the past.
> 
> Sorry about all the reediting and posting, I'm a dumb hoe who can't figure out how to turn the bold off without making everything else bold '_'
> 
> Miles tells Rhodey what Thanksgiving stands for/means in a historical context (the pilgrims betraying the natives) and Rhodey speaks of his empathy, and how it is a hard time for boys who look like him in America. STARTS AT: "THANKSGIVING IS THE CELEBRATION..." and ends with "but it wouldn’t have his children’s happiness or innocence."
> 
> This has some real world tie-ins, and further more a warning for dealing with grief in some context (rhodey's dad is assumed to have passed away sometime between the previous thanksgiving and now, and they speak a little about it. 
> 
> Also, a little dirty joke between Rhodey and Tony right at the beginning. 
> 
> Lastly, as always PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANYTHING ELSE SHOULD BE TAGGED - I don't want anyone to be triggered by anything and I ask that you let me know if there is a problem immediately. Thanks so much guys, enjoy the read <3

”Tones, this shirt is a little tight isn’t it? And why do we need to dress up to eat in our own home anyway, we do that every day, nothing special about it!”

Rolling his eyes, Tony came strolling out of their walk-in-closet, fixing the collar of his shirt and running a hand through his hair, making his way over to his grumpy husband.  
”Come on Platypus, you promised no complaining, besides it’s _Thanksgiving, _momma Rhodes and I have been slaving away in that kitchen since 4am to feed you and your thousands of children – a little gratitude would be appreciated. Mom had to write her cornbread recipe down before she went into surgery so that _certain members of this family _could have it to their liking,” Tony says playfully with no real bite in his words. Leaning up on his tippy-toes, he wraps his arms around his husband's neckand places a soft kiss to his lips, smile spreading across his face when Rhodey eagerly wraps his arms around his waist and leans in to deepen the kiss, swaying them in a gently from side to side.____

”You think we have a minute or two for you to enjoy some pre-lunch stuffing? I feel like it’s my birthday with you looking as beautiful as you do right now,” Rhodey whispers slyly against Tony’s lips, leaning their foreheads together to continue pecking him on the lips, hands travelling up and down his sides to rest on his hips.

It’s a challenge but Tony manages to pull away and smack him on the chest, snorting at the pun. “You’re a menace Mr Rhodes, and _no, _we won’t waste any more time. If we stay in here any longer, our door will probably be kicked in within the next five minutes since Harley has been accusing us of starving him since two. But I’ll definitely leave space for extra ‘stuffing’.”__

__  
_ _

Stealing one last kiss and pinching Tony on the butt, Rhodey snorts and makes his way to the bedroom door, opening it and patiently waiting for Tony to get his shoes on and _definitely _enjoys the view when he bends down to tie his laces. “And you say you hate my puns. Don’t worry about Harl, it’s only four thirty, that's early for us and hasn’t mom been sneaking him pie all afternoon? I guarantee you he’ll be knocked out before he even gets to the mac-and-cheese, but hey, isn’t that what Thanksgiving is about?”__

”We learned in AP History that Thanksgiving is the annual celebration of the betrayal of the natives by the colonists and the genocide they committed, so I don’t think that’s something to celebrate, Dad,” Miles says visibly upset, brows furrowed and pouting.

”Ah, and there’s Milesy, we must really be keeping everyone waiting Tones. Don’t worry kiddo, it’s eff the pilgrims all day in this household, Grams will be telling you stories about how she grew up and our family’s history after lunch, including our native ancestors,” Rhodey ruffles his son’s hair fondly, making Miles jerk away complaining under his breathe about _messing up my waves, Dad _and gently places a hand on Tony’s lower back as he comes out of their room, smiling at Miles and putting an arm around his shoulders speaking quietly to each other. At least they weren’t paying tuition for their boy to be lied to by American rewrites of history – patriotic as he was raised to be, America had a lot of trouble telling the truth when it came to the histories of marginalized people. Hell, Columbus Day (the beginning of the end basically) was still a national holiday; how can a guy ‘discovering’ something that had already existed be celebrated? Natives had already been here, living their lives when he had showed up and decided to name and claim it for his monarchs. It was tone deaf to celebrate that while native Americans were still suffering today as a result of settlers, their reservations threatened and endangered by large corporations and legislations created solely to disadvantage them.  
Warmth and pride blooms in his chest at his son’s expression of his thoughts and feelings though - that he possessed such empathy for others at his young age made Jim’s heart bloom, at who he had become and the fine young, compassionate man he was growing up to be. It was a rough time in America for boys who looked like him and Rhodey was happy they could raise such a sweet boy. __

____

Peter and Harley had taken after Tony in looks - with Harley inheriting all those recessive Carbonell genes. Everyone had jokingly asked about what Tony had been up to when their little blonde, blue-eyed baby had come into the world and had even joked about Cap being his dad due to their striking resemblance. While Rhodey had taken it for what it was, jokes made by silly friends and the media blowing things out of proportion and looking for something just to tag the headline _Trouble in Paradise, _Tony had been extremely hurt by some of the things said, even if they had meant it as a joke. As a result, he had a non-invasive paternity test done along with DNA profiling to check for possible genetic diseases, so as to prove that Harley was _theirs. _He had admitted to Rhodey that he didn't want him to think he wasn't faithful and that he would ever do anything to ruin them and Rhodey had just laughed and reassured him that he hadn't been thinking that in the first place.  
____

_____ _

He and Tony had spent most of their lives together, first as best friends and later lovers, and he knew better than anyone else in this world how deep Tony's love ran, for him and for their children. And Tony and _Cap? _Yeah, Hell would freeze over sooner.  
Who was he to tell Tony not to be hurt by things like this though? Tony and he had been dealing with the media for a long time, and Tony had more often than not been villainised and dragged through the mud for every little thing he had done. They had received scorn and judgement time and time again, first for eloping when Tony was 18 - Howard had 'disowned' him in one of his jealous fits and had cut off all financial support for Tony, refusing to even pay his class fees so he and Tony had decided, in an effort to both stay in school, to get married so that they could get funding from FAFSA without having to submit their parent's assets. And as two minimum wage earning teenagers who were still studying, sharing a tiny apartment in South Philly when not in school, they had even gotten it almost immediately, despite Tony's family being in the spotlight. Anthony Stark and Tony Rhodes were two very different people on paper. MIT and other companies had even chipped in so as to have them work for them once they graduated, seeing their promising talents and minds, but Rhodey had always wanted to join the airforce, and that goal hadn't changed, even after the impressive tours and offers sent over to them. __

____

They had gotten married in a small ceremony in Rhodey's family church back in Philly with his family present, his dad walking Tony down the aisle and them cracking up during their first 'kiss' as a married couple. Tony hadn't invited or even let his parents know, too afraid of the answer (or non-answer) he would receive and they had spent their honeymoon booked into a hotel - gifted by one of Rhodey's uncles as a wedding gift - for the weekend ordering room service and getting massages. It was a mini-vacation really, and they had been breathless from laughter after checking into the Honeymoon Suite and finding only one bed and rose petals strewn all over the place. What started out as two bros marrying to swindle the finance office, had ended with them falling in love and happily staying married, even after they had graduated. His Ma had said she had always _known _they loved each other like this and that's why she hadn't protested them marrying to begin with, but Rhodey thinks she just wants to take credit where it wasn't due.__

____  


Although Jim did not let either Harley or Petey forget their heritage or who they were – young men who had the responsibility to change the world for the better ( _teach them young, _as his father had always said) - in the eyes of the world, Riri and Miles would not be treated the same as their brothers, simply because their skin and hair texture was different and didn't comply with eurocentric standards. And yet, his children had grown to be loving young people, in spite of the world’s bitterness and how it saw them. All his kids had been sweet babies, who grew to be a sweet children, and Rhodey can’t help but be proud of that. The world could have many things, but it wouldn’t have his children’s happiness or innocence.__

__  
_ _

Miles was growing up, on his way to middle school and Harley would start pre-K in the fall. Their babies were already so close to leaving the nest, with Riri getting recruited by universities and colleges country-wide (even though she was just sixteen, Tony argues that they have to be fair and give her these opportunities since they themselves went to MIT younger than the rest of their peers, and yes, he was incredibly proud that her genius was being recognised so early, but that’s his _baby girl, _and maybe he isn’t ready for her to grow up and leave just yet), and Peter, being only a year younger than her, was well on his way to following in her footsteps (he hadn’t mentioned colleges just yet or even being interested in them, and seemed to be content with the high school he attended in Queens, but if one chick learned to fly, their siblings would soon want to do the same).__

********

********

__  
_ _

Maybe it wasn’t too late for him and Tony to speak to a specialist about trying again. They've had four perfect little ones, so of course they would be motivated to have more. Riri had been amazing, easily satisfied and had been sleeping through the night by month three, it's no wonder they had Pete so soon after. The two rugrats had amused each other growing up, playing pirates and princesses and competitive street racers and not soon after they had started planning for another little sweetheart and Miles had been born, chubby checked and absolute Daddies' boy. He had clung to Tony's leg and Rhodey's neck for most of his young life. In times when he was feeling shy or insecure he could still be found wrapped around one of his Dad's arms, head hidden in their sides, while Harley had come into the world kicking and screaming and had refused to stop crying unless he was in his father's arms or getting fed. He was the absolute embodiment of the traditional baby of the family, using his cuteness to get his way.  
Tony was only forty four and even if his cervix had taken more beatings than Fury’s pride after Tony had locked him and his top S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives out of J.A.R.V.I.S. and the Tower’s servers, he was sure they could manage another little Rhodes or two. He had always wanted a little James Jr., and _definitely _filing this away for later, Rhodey thinks as Tony leads him and Miles down the hall to the living room of the mansion where they were staying for the holiday.__

Stepping into the well-decorated room, it’s clear that everyone else had just gotten there as well, save for his Ma who got ready at 5am everyday and had been gently micro-managing Tony on what to do and how to do it, since she had to sit out on cooking this year because of her hip surgery, much to her displeasure. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Tony in the kitchen, the two of them had been cooking together since that first Thanksgiving Jim had brought a 15-year-old Tony home with him over twenty nine years ago. Cooking was just her love language - being able to put a smile on her family’s face and send them to school or bed with full bellies and smiles of content was what she lived for. Ma, despite working equally long hours, had always made sure there was breakfast waiting on him and his Pops when they got up in the morning and a pot cooking on the stove when they got back home in the evening from work and after-school extracurriculars. It was also her first Thanksgiving in New York after Pops had passed on, celebrating only with Rhodey and Tony and not being able to make it to the family lunch because of aforementioned surgery having taken place the day before.  
Roberta Rhodes, at the age of seventy, didn’t look a day over fifty five and was as healthy as she had been at thirty. A missed step during a particularly snowy day had caused her to break her hip, and although she had had it checked out by a doctor, the constant pain and swelling a month later had led to Tony and Rhodey flying her out to be checked out by a specialist because of the very real worry of underlying problems. Luckily it had just been that her hip hadn’t healed all the way and she would be able to get back into action by the end of the month. _“I’ve lived well and always listened to my parents,” _she would say when asked how she looked so good at her age and James would always playfully roll his eyes with an _”Of course, Ma, nothing to do with genetics at all.” _____

Harley was seated firmly on his grandmother’s lap, taking advantage of her soft heart by making pretty eyes at her and dishing out _I love yous, _so she would sneak him rolls, while Riri and Peter were conversing heatedly next to her, and from what James could pick up, they had just walked into the tail-end of an _"If Norse gods exist as aliens somewhere in the universe, surely all other gods of ancient religions should be around somewhere too" _discussion.  
__Smiling at how his kids, Rhodey apologises to his mom for making her wait and pulls out the seat across from her and the kids for Tony to sit, receiving a soft smile and thank you from him while Miles moves to sit on his Dad's other side.____

Smiling at her son and their family, her legacy, Roberta clears her throat, grabbing Riri and Peter's attention. “Now that we’re all here I suppose we can all go around the table and say what we’re thankful huh? How about we start with Mr Harley?” 

Giggling and putting down his roll, Harley starts listing all the things his grateful for, amongst others, the Christmas presents he was going to get in a few short weeks (earning laughter from everyone at the table), uncle Happy for getting him ice cream after his karate classes, his parents and granny for always feeding him and making his belly happy, and his siblings for being _”super awesome, and always playing with me, even though I’m still little and can’t tie my shoes yet”. _  
From there Mamma Rhodes says she’s thankful for Harley being thankful for her and that she could spend another day with the people she loved and who loved her, and for the good health she’s been bestowed so that she can watch all her grandkids grow up and become amazing people. “I’m thankful that you can all grow up loved, and in a home where your parents also unconditionally love and support each other and you; I’m thankful that my sons are both happy and healthy with each other, and that your Dad is able to be home with us for the holidays, even though that darn Airforce won't stop calling the house. I am also thankful that we had so much time with Grandpa, and although he isn’t with us any longer, I know his spirit joins us today and he is so proud of who his grandbabies have become and that we are all able to be with each other today” she says beaming at her family with glassy eyes._ _

”Oh Grams, now everyone’s crying before even trying the turkey,” Peter jokes as he, Miles and Riri get up to join Harley in hugging her. Holding Tony’s hand and rubbing comforting circles into his knuckles, Rhodey laughs and wills a few tears of his own away as Tony gives him a watery smile. Grief was so easy to not deal with, to push aside and keep busy so as not to think about it and pretend to forget. He had loved his father, and losing him so late in life was both a blessing and a curse – on the one hand he had been able to have his father around for so long – Terrence Rhodes had been able to meet his grandchildren and see James married, and become a Lt. Col. for the United States Airforce, and later War Machine – who along with Iron Man had saved the President from danger and death. He had had James' degree and graduation photos framed and proudly hung in his childhood home, he had attended mini-league baseball and soccer games, had received macaroni jewelry and photo frames for birthdays and father's days and had had to get WiFi installed and learned to Skype when the kids discovered video calling. He had been there on first days on school, camera in hand and had attended the kids' first school plays and been to Kindergarten and middle school graduations.On the other hand, James did not know what it was like to live without his father, whether he was a room or a call away – he had always known his father was there for him. He was a good father because he had had a **great **father.****

****  
** **

The kids didn't have any other grandparents and losing their granddad had spurred them to demand their grandmother's presence 24/7, whether it was them visiting her and staying over for holidays and weekends or trying to convince her to permanently move in with them. She had of course politely refused - as much as she loved them, South Philly was her home as much as New York was theirs, and she couldn't leave her memories and life behind.  
She felt closer to Rupert in their home, remembering their last months together - they had been happy and even though his passing was sudden, they had never disillusioned themselves and pretended they would live forever. They had both known a day would come where one of them would leave the other, but knowing and living through it was two very different things. She liked her house though, and her garden and her church and she could move on, yes, but wouldn't just leave everything behind - moving on and running away were different things too, and she would never run. Besides, most of their family was in Philly, her sisters and brothers, and she didn't like the hustle and bustle that was New York. Life was too busy and rushed over there and the kids fears were unfounded anyway, she would be around for a very long time - she would probably be giving their babies their first baths and teaching them how to swaddle with Tony. 

****

”Okay, okay, let’s wrap this up so that we can get to eating, the littlest Mr Rhodes must be starving, right baby?” Mamma Rhodes jokes tearfully, shooing the kids back to their seats. “What about you, Milesy? What are you thankful for?”

The kids all take turns saying what they were thankful for, answers ranging from friends and family, to _Grams and Dad for cooking this awesome meal that we’ll probably be eating for the rest of the week. _Tony has his turn, and finally Rhodey ends it off.__

 __  


__They hold hands and Roberta says Grace, Tony politely bowing his head but not joining in as he had done for years now, and the table is opened. Immediately chatter starts, variations of “pass it around please” and “Yucky! The juice from the greens is touching my cornbread, Ma” being shouted around the table. Harley eventually moves to his own seat to thoroughly immerse himself in the plate his Dad had made him and as soon as the actual eating takes place, everyone is quiet, stuffing themselves into food comas - not a care for who would be doing dishes._ _

Being able to have his family here, his mother and husband, daughter and sons, is enough for Rhodey. He is thankful for the life they get to live and, Ma might be getting older, and the kids growing up but at the end of the day, they would always have these memories and moments to look back on. One day when he and Tony are old, sitting on a porch somewhere in the world wrinkled hands held within each other’s grasps, they would reminisce about all the beautiful moments in their lives, all the treasured hours and seconds they got to spend around their family. They would lament how fast their children had grown up, how they had blinked and suddenly they were making their own paths and walking roads their parents’ could not follow them on, how they had gone from the tiny little humans who thought their parents’ had hung the stars in the sky and called the sun to rise every morning, to the beautiful people they would grown to be. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on twitter @marvelsstweets ! I hope you enjoyed that! The end doesn't feel right, so editing will definitely take place eeeventuallly lol. I used a mixture of comic book and mcu canon (maria's looks), and based a lot of mama Rhodes on the women in my family - my great grandma and her sisters and my aunties. Thank you for the support, and I love you guys always. Thank you for taking your time to read this!! Until next time my lovelies, stretch those backs out, take your pills, take a deep breathe and enjoy the moment. Take care


End file.
